Good Friday Ideas: The Torn Veil

I pondered putting together a whole new worship gathering such as the "Because of the Cross" gathering that I have here already, but instead I think I am going to do a whole series of these short ideas. Some of them are going to be things from deeper in the site and some of the are going to be new things that I have recently thought about. My first one is pulling from that old worship outline but I think it is a really great idea.

The Torn Veil

You will need a 3inX3in square of black cloth for everyone in your group. Cut a small slit into one side of the cloth so that they will be easier to tear. You don’t have to be exact with the size, just create something that is easy to hold and tear.

Read Luke 23:45-47.

Begin to pass out the cloths (we placed them in our offering plates).

Say: This small verse is tucked in among the powerful verses of the crucifixion, but it contains a world of hope for us. This veil wasn’t just an ordinary piece of fabric. The temple was divided into sections. The holy place where the priests served and then the holy of holies. This place separated by a veil 3 inches thick was where one priest would go once a year to make the atonement for the sins of all of Israel. The veil was the symbol of God’s separation from us.

Have you ever felt left out. Sometimes we feel separated from God either because we don’t feel good enough, or smart enough, or pretty enough. Have you ever felt like you had messed up too much for God to really listen to you? Have you ever felt hearing from God, communicating with God, was something that other people–better people–did but not you?

When the veil tore from top to bottom that was God’s way of inviting you in to hang out with Him. It was God’s way of saying that you were now granted access to Him. With Jesus’ sacrifice our separation from God could end.

Spend few minutes thinking about what it feels like to be left out in the cold. You may feel like you are separated from God. If that is the case pray about why you feel that way. If you don’t feel like you are apart from God imagine what it would be like to live your life constantly separated from Him.

Then as you pray, tear your veil into. Then thank God for opening the way for you to be with Him.

After a few moments you may need to tear your own piece of cloth because sometimes people can be self-conscious about being first.

Share this:

I don't have all of the answers and some weeks it feels like I don't have any of the answers. I often find a good word picture or object lesson and build the lesson off of that instead of the other way around. I don't always pray as much as I should and I never study as much as I should.
But I love students ministry. I love watching teenagers as they serve God. I love to see them worship and forget about themselves for a while. I love seeing someone wake up to the love of God if only for a little while. I love to see them out serving their community and sharing the love of Christ with others. I love to be a part of their lives and I love seeing the world through their eyes. I am an average youth minister.

4 thoughts on “Good Friday Ideas: The Torn Veil”

Because for most American church-goers black carries with it the symbolism of death and funerals. It sort of reinforces the good Friday themes. But feel free to use whatever color of fabric you can find close at hand.

I am trying to find information about permission to use the Torn Veil piece for a reflective service. It says to see the website. The piece would be adapted for people at a hospital to come in as they wish and to reflect on the meaning of the torn veil. We would provide the cloths and a Bible open to the Luke story and simply invite people into personal refelction. The story would be printed and laminated and meant for reading purposes while people are in the chapel. We would identify the website as the place of origin and make sure that credit was given.

I will need to know permission is granted so that I can make sure I can provide that information to our Director.

Everything on Nailscars.com is released under a creative commons license. You can click the link at the bottom for more info. Basically you can use it for anything as long as you don’t take it and sell it. If you are reposting the material I ask for a link, but if you are using it as part of your worship time don’t worry about the credit. All of the good ideas here come from God, anyway. I am just happy that you can find a way to use them.

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About Me

I don't have all of the answers and some weeks it feels like I don't have any of the answers. I forget students names sometimes and say stupid things that hurt their feelings. I often find a good word picture or object lesson and build the lesson off of that instead of the other way around. I have put the finishing touches on a Wednesday night Bible study on Wednesday more times than I can count. I don't always pray as much as I should and I never study as much as I should. I try every new youth ministry model that comes from the "experts" and I have had at least 3 mission statements over the past 5 years.

But I love students ministry. I love watching teenagers as they serve God. I love to see them worship and forget about themselves for a while. I love seeing someone wake up to the love of God if only for a little while. I love to see them out serving their community and sharing the love of Christ with others. I love to be a part of their lives and I love seeing the world through their eyes. Like I said, I'm an average youth pastor.

About Nailscars.com

For over 10 years now I have been trying to add creative ideas for use in the local church. In the early days Nailscars.com was just a place to publish some scripts, but it has become a collection of creative ministry resources for youth ministry and worship.

I began writing a blog more to process my own thoughts more than anything else. As I started writing the comments that I got back from people amazed me. As I was honest with my struggles most of them would write and say “Thank you.” “It is just nice to know someone else struggles with these same things,” was a common response.

So this has become a place where I share the struggles and successes of being in youth ministry. I hope that you find something that God can use in your life and ministry.